1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sound enhancement devices, and more particularly to portable acoustic or non-electronic hearing enhancement devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are numerous portable acoustic xe2x80x9cheadphone stylexe2x80x9d listening enhancement devices in the prior art, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,965,850 and 6,082,486, and the references described therein. These xe2x80x9cheadphone stylexe2x80x9d devices have cups or scoops designed to capture and funnel sound waves directly into a user""s ear. One disadvantage of these prior designs is user discomfort. Although the weight and rigidity of the materials employed by these devices may be the cause of some discomfort, the primary discomfort results from the lack of aesthetic appeal. A user is forced to wear a hat or large band that limits or compresses a user""s hair style, to support a pair of large xe2x80x9cearsxe2x80x9d that are often uncomfortably pressed against the wearer""s ears.
Devices that integrate listening enhancement devices into stationary objects, such as seats, also exist in the prior art. Earlier inventions, such as the king""s throne described by Kenneth Berger in THE HEARING AID: IT""s OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, page 22 (1974), were typically too bulky and expensive for ordinary use. More recent inventions, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,908,766 and 3,512,605, incorporate electrical hearing enhancement devices into seats, but these modem developments do not do much to alleviate the earlier problems. Electrically powered listening enhancement devices are costly to operate and typically cost more to construct than acoustic hearing enhancement devices. Building the listening enhancement device directly into the structure of the seat limits portability and increases the overall investment necessary to obtain the device. The relatively high cost and bulkiness of the prior art xe2x80x9ccombinationxe2x80x9d listening enhancement devices continues to limit their usefulness.
A continuing need exists for a relatively cheap and portable acoustic hearing enhancement device which is not uncomfortable for the user. The present invention substantially fulfills this need by providing an acoustical hearing enhancement device which does not require the use of electricity to operate, which is portable and versatile, which is not prohibitively expensive or difficult to manufacture and repair, which is aesthetically pleasing and comfortable for the user, and which does not require any permanent structural modifications to be made for each individual user.
To attain these ends, the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a pair of cup-shaped sound reflecting devices, which are positionable behind a user""s ears on the front surface of a seat""s headrest through the use of flexible support bands that are attached to the outer shell of the sound reflecting devices. The sound reflecting devices are constructed with an opening to the front of the user which collects sound from the direction the user is facing and directs the sound towards the user""s ears. The cup-shaped sound reflecting devices are held in position near the user""s ears through the use of the flexible support bands that are attached to the outer shell of the sound reflecting devices. The flexible support bands are designed to lay over the top of a seat""s headrest and to maintain their positions through the weight of the support bands and the friction between the support bands and the top of the headrest. In the preferred embodiment, the sound reflecting devices maintain their relative positions on each side of the user through the use of a positioning band, which maintains separation between and connects the support bands attached to the sound reflecting devices on each side of the user. Adding a buckle to the positioning band permits users to adjust the distance between the sound deflecting devices in this embodiment of the invention to accommodate varying head sizes, or to accommodate preferences for the proximity of the sound reflecting devices to the ears.
One aspect of the present invention is an acoustic sound collector positionable proximate to an ear of a user seated in a seat having a headrest to receive sound and to direct the sound towards the user""s ear. The headrest has a front portion, a top portion, and a back portion. The sound collector comprises a sound reflecting device that has an outer shell. A support band is attached to the outer shell of the sound reflecting device. The support band comprises a flexible material that is conformable to a shape of the top of the headrest of the seat, to enable a user to adjust the position of the sound reflecting device on the front portion of the headrest. Preferably, the support band comprises a cloth web. The cloth web has sufficient weight such that the support band maintains the position of the sound reflecting device with respect to the top of the headrest using only weight and friction. Alternatively, the support band comprises a malleable material that is covered with a cushioning material. The malleable material maintains its shape to hold the position of the sound reflecting device with respect to the top of the headrest. Preferably, two sound collectors are provided, with a respective sound collector positioned near each ear of the user. A positioning band advantageously aligns the sound collectors with respect to the ears of the user. Preferably, the positioning band is adjustable for positioning the sound collectors horizontally to accommodate varying head sizes or preferences for the proximity of the sound reflecting devices to the ears.
Another aspect of the present invention is a passive hearing enhancement system for a person seated in a chair having a headrest. The hearing enhancement system comprises a support band positionable over the top of the headrest of the chair. The support band has a first portion that extends behind the headrest of the chair and has a second portion that extends in front of the headrest of the chair. A sound reflecting device is attached to the second portion of the support band. The position of the sound reflecting device with respect to the top of the headrest is adjustable by moving the support band to vary the length of the first portion of the support band extending behind the headrest and to vary the length of the second portion of the headband extending in front of the headrest.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method of enhancing the hearing of a person seated in a chair having a headrest. The method comprises placing a support band over the top of the headrest of the chair. The support band has a first portion that extends behind the headrest of the chair and has a second portion that extends in front of the headrest of the chair. The second portion of the support band has a sound reflecting device attached thereto. The method further comprises adjusting the length of the first portion of the support band extending behind the headrest and the length of the second portion of the headband extending in front of the headrest to establish a vertical position of the sound reflecting device with respect to an ear of a person seated in the chair.
The disclosed embodiments of the present invention are portable, easy to implement and construct, comfortable for the user, and more aesthetically acceptable because they are not worn by the user. The flexible bands and sound reflecting devices may be compacted into a highly portable configuration. The materials used in the preferred embodiment are inexpensive and easy to maintain. Further, the headrest of the seat does not have to be modified in any manner to accommodate the hearing enhancement device. Placing the acoustic sound collectors on a stationary device such as a seat""s headrest, rather than on the user, reduces the user""s physical discomfort and is also less objectionable aesthetically.